puzzle pieces
by reviee
Summary: SasuSaku. Canon. He needed saving. She was the only one who would save him.
1. sunshine

**puzzle pieces**

* * *

**title:** sunshine  
**author:** shinigami to tenshi  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #6: death  
**summary:** SasuSaku. He needed saving. She was the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** so I kind of didn't know how to write Sasuke in character. So I watched a few episodes and got back in the mood. This fic's gonna be all in anime world instead of AU's... The reason I do AU's is because it just doesn't seem possible for Sasuke and Sakura to happen. Road to Ninja, however...

* * *

"NARUTO!" Sakura yells at the top of her lungs. She feels like bursting. She can't take this. "NARUUUTO!"

It was a fight to the death. She should have known from the start that when Sasuke and Naruto were going to fight, it wasn't going to stop until one of them dropped dead. They are both so stubborn, after all. _This was the last blow,_ she tells herself. _only one of them is going to come out alive._

"NARUTO!" she hears someone yelling. It's not her. Ahead of her, several medic nins are running towards them. Sakura breathes. They're all here to save him.

When the dust clears, she sees Sasuke and Naruto lying on the ground. They lay a few feet away from each other, but they're side by side. This is what Team 7 looks like. Her mood lifts a little and a glimmer of hope shines within her.

Everyone rushes to save the village hero. Shizune has led all her best medics to help Naruto. He has blood coming from his abdomen. He's covered in deep cuts. His face is swollen.

She turns to Sasuke. He's alone. No one rushes to save him. No one even pays any attention to him. He coughs and blood spurts out of his mouth.

She runs to him, like she always has. "Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun..." she whispers, trying to hold the tears in. Her hands are already glowing green with chakra and working on his head.

The damage sustained to his brain is significant, she realizes. His Sharingan wasn't healthy for his eyes and the damage continued onto his brain. He was bleeding from his torso. He was covered in open wounds. She continues to work on fixing the wounds in his brain. He winces.

"Sasuke-kun, you're going to be fine," she says, her voice trembling. "You're going to be just fine," she continues saying. Her voice is on the verge of cracking. "There's no dying on my watch." Sakura can feel the emotion building up within her; she can feel the tears threatening to fall.

_There's so much bleeding,_ she looks horrified. _I can't control it all at once._ She tries to send chakra to all his wounds in his brain, but she can only concentrate on the part that his Sharingan affected the most. She needs help. _I need help,_ she realizes.

"I NEED HELP HERE!" she yells, and tears finally stream down her face. She can't save Sasuke. After training so hard, she still can't save Sasuke. "I NEED HELP!" she screams again, her voice slipping at the end.

No one was coming. Sasuke wasn't important. He was a traitor. He almost destroyed the village. He almost killed Naruto. This was the end. This was the end for-

"Forehead..."

Sakura looks up. Ino is standing above her, looking down at her with sad eyes. "Stop healing him." she hears Ino say.

Suddenly, Sakura is angry. Her and Naruto have worked so hard to get Sasuke back. This is their chance. This is Sasuke. He is right there, and they won't save him? "He's not dead. Help me mend his brain tissue. His Sharingan destroyed a lot of it. Help me stop the bleeding." she glares at Ino. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE!"

Ino feels bad for Sakura. After everything, this is what she's decided to do. As her best friend, the least Ino could do is support her. She smiles at her best friend. "I'll help you save Sasuke," she tells her. Instantly, Sakura's face brightens.

_It's working,_ Sakura thinks. _Ino has controlled the bleeding on the other side.._ She feels giddy. Sasuke was going to be alright. "Continue with the brain, I'm going to repair his heart walls."

Sasuke's body was a mess. It was under so much stress. But he wasn't going to die. Sakura is confident she is able to heal him.

* * *

Naruto has been brought to the hospital in Konoha. There was no place for Sasuke. She brings him into her home. It was practically a hospital. She did all her studying here and made a lot of medicine for missions. She kept it all in her home.

There is a wet cloth over his forehead. He flinches every once in a while, as if he's having a nightmare, but she brushes it off. Sakura watches over him. She gives him some of her chakra every once in a while, but she is also drained.

She eventually falls asleep next to him in her bed.

When she wakes up, it is dawn outside. The sky was a mix of purples, orange and yellow. She could see the sun peaking out from its hiding place.

When she sees Sasuke still soundly asleep on her bed, she smiles. His chest heaves up and down with each breath. _He's alive,_ she thinks happily. _He's lived through it all._

When she touches the towel on his forehead, however, a hand catches her wrist. She gasps, her heart beating quickly. Sasuke opens his eyes, though slowly and hesitantly. She continues to stare with her mouth slightly agape. It takes a few moments for him to register where he is. It doesn't look familiar to him, but the pink hair does.

"Sa...Sakura," he says. His voice was weak. He sounded brittle.

"H-Hi, Sasuke-kun," she manages, a small smile gracing her features. "how do you feel?"

The grip on her wrist becomes tighter. His eyes start to close a bit. When he starts talking again, his voice is low. She almost didn't catch it.

"Thank you," he says.

* * *

**a/n:** I think I'll make this fic sort of connected, if you know what I mean. It's 4AM, omg. I can't tell apart a period and a comma. My god. Anyway, if SS were to have a moment in the manga, this would be it. That's what I believe.. Would a kiss be pushing it?


	2. base

**puzzle pieces**

* * *

**title:** base  
**author:** shinigami to tenshi  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #4: rain  
**summary:** SasuSaku. He needed saving. She was the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** ok, I don't know what I'm doing with this. It's an anthology of sorts, but it connects. So you can read it separately or you can link them like a story. Either way it'll make sense. I reaaaaally need to practice writing feelings. Like, real ones. Not just sexual ones. And not just the ones I feel either LOL

* * *

There was no leaving Sasuke's side. Naruto would be alright. No one would let the village's hero die. She didn't need to worry about him. Sakura knew Naruto needed her just as much as he needed her, but Sasuke was in her care. No one else took care of him. Day and night, it was all her. No one _wanted_ to take care of him.

After all, he did try to destroy the village.

"Sit up," she told him, gently putting a hand on his back to help him up. The gash on his stomach was healing well. She undid his bandages and put on new ones. "It's good," she quietly informed.

He nodded. He never really talked to her. Sometimes, he would utter a very low _thanks._ It was quiet every day.

Sakura woke up every morning after spending a night at his bedside or curled up on the love seat in the corner of the room. She made him tomato soup and fed him bread. For lunch, she would make him onigri. Dinner was different every night. Once a week, she would make a big warm bowl of ramen. She tended to his wounds twice a day. She stayed in the room for the majority of the day; reading medical books, recording his state and analyzing it.

Sasuke simply felt pain, in many different ways. He failed to kill his best friend. He failed to complete his revenge. His body ached as a constant reminder of his failure. His head throbbed from the tightly wrapped bandages. His eyes stung. He was powerless, and he was _never_ powerless.

Sometimes, he would watch her curled up on the seat in the corner and feel pain. His heart tightened and he found it hard to take a deep breath. When she changed his bandages, he would see the dullness in her eyes and feel pain.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. Her delicate hands rested on his abdomen while she healed his smaller wounds. She smiled. She did this every day.

"Fine," he replied. He could feel the warmth of her palms and her chakra. He felt the pain ease a little. His muscles relaxed whenever her chakra ran through his body.

"Are you hungry?" It was three in the afternoon. He was surprised that she continued the conversation. He wondered what was different about today. "I... I was thinking we could go out today."

He looked at her. She continued talking, "Your body is much stronger now. It'll be beneficial to get some sun, to walk around and get some fresh air." She didn't look at him, and continued focusing on his wounds. "Your abdomen is almost fully healed. Your head has been healed. And frankly, I think a little exercise will help your heart."

He nodded slowly, producing a little 'hn' sound to catch her attention. Sakura smiled brightly. "Okay! Well, we don't have to walk anywhere today. We'll just go out in the garden." She pulled off his covers gently. He sat up and she looped her arm around his waist. He put his arm around her shoulders to support himself while he steadily got out of bed.

Sasuke took a few steps with Sakura supporting him, but his legs were shaking. He's been in bed for about two weeks now and he wasn't used to walking.

She watched his legs shake. "You're doing great," she encouraged and continued to hold him up. They walked through the hallway to the kitchen, where the back door leading to the garden was situated. It wasn't sunny outside. "We're almost there, Sasuke-kun..."

When they arrived outside, it was humid. The air clung to their skin. Sakura smiled. "Doesn't it feel great?"

The garden was well kept. She didn't want to leave the house in case Sasuke needed something, so she kept herself busy by gardening. The groceries were delivered to her every day. She also ordered pots of different flowers. Her garden was diverse and she had a lot of fun building it. Ino would sometimes come by to help her take care of the plants.

They sat in the middle of her yard, under a big tree. She looked around, marveling at her own hard work. She had purple pansies, red roses and yellow tulips. The grass was kept really green and weed-free. "It's nice, right?" she suddenly commented to Sasuke.

He looked around. The garden felt serene to him. It was quiet and one could hear the distant sounds of birds chirping. "Hn," he grunted, to acknowledge her.

Suddenly, it started raining. The rain came down in buckets. The tree's large leaves shielded them from the rain. Once in a while, a few drops of rain would fall onto them. Sakura took a deep breath. The fresh scent of rain filled her. "I like the rain. It cleans everything and it feels like a reset button." she said idly.

Sasuke glanced at her. The top of her head was beginning to become wet. "I... I see." he replied. He enjoyed the rain too. He had decided that he could spend hours sitting in the rain. He looked up. Sakura was sitting right under a small opening where water was coming down.

"Come closer," he commanded.

She turned to him, surprised. He normally didn't speak a word to her. He stared right back at her. He was beckoning her to come closer with that look. She moved closer to him, until their knees touched.

"Why?" she asked, tucking her hands under her knees. He pointed to the tiny opening in the tree where the water was coming from. She nodded.

They sat in the pouring rain until it stopped, shoulder to shoulder, in a comfortable silence.

* * *

**a/n:** YAAY, ok, I don't know how to make Sasuke like, affectionate but not OOC. I seriously only picture him cold and stuff. He only shows emotions when it comes to revenge and Itachi and Uchihas. Damn, this is going to be hard.


	3. the new world

**puzzle pieces**

* * *

**title:** the new world  
**author:** shinigami to tenshi/reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #9: Broken  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needed saving. She was the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** SHIT, I lost all my writing for this story because of the stupid LJ app. I'm so mad! I wrote this twice already... Third time's the charm though, right? Hopefully this new version is just as good...

* * *

Naruto hasn't seen Sakura or Sasuke since the battle. He hopes they're together. He knows without Sakura, Sasuke is a goner. She's probably the only person in this village who will go near him. Luckily, she is a medical specialist. Even so, he can't help but worry.

He sits in his hospital bed. His head is bandaged, as is his arms, legs and torso. He's been in the hospital for the longest time.

"BAA-CHAAAAN!" he shouts. The birds outside his window fly away.

The door slams open. Tsunade walks in, not looking very pleased. "What's wrong with you, Naruto?" She crosses her arms over her chest and glares.

"Heh, well," he grins sheepishly at her, "when can I leave?"

The Hokage laughs at him. "You're still covered in bandages. You're not leaving any time soon."

Naruto pouts. "BUT BAA-CHAN, I've been stuck here for a _really_ long time. There's nothing to do here!"

"Too bad!" Tsunade turns and starts heading out the door. "Now stop wasting my time!"

"BUT I'M THE VILLAGE HERO! YOU CAN'T TREAT ME LIKE THIS!" he whines.

Chuckling, she closes the door and leaves.

* * *

Since he's gotten better, they make it a habit to go outside to get fresh air. Every day, they sit outside for an hour. They rarely talk. Sometimes she walks and sometimes she works on her garden. Most of the time, he just sits in the shade. In the rarest of times, he would stand next to her and hold the hose.

When it rains, they sit side by side with their shoulders and knees touching. Sakura would talk to him about her flowers. She would tell him each one's different traits. He would sit silently and listen.

"Okay! Here you are," she hands him a bowl with a spoon. "Your favorite tomato soup!"

Sasuke slowly takes it into his hands. She smiles at him. "Are you sure you don't want anything else? Tomato soup's not very filling..." she puts a finger on her chin.

"It's okay," he says quietly. He sets aside the spoon and gulps down the soup. She beams.

She enjoys it when he gobbles up her cooking. She likes taking care of him. She likes being able to be the one who's by his side. She sometimes wishes it wasn't because everyone else refuses to see him, but she is content.

He hands her back the empty bowl. She sets it on the bedside table. "Sasuke-kun, we're going out today!" he looks at her. "We're going to the hospital. Don't worry, I'm just there to check on some things with Tsunade-shishou. And we'll visit Naruto, okay?"

He grunts and reluctantly gets out of the bed. She smiles, because he is willing to try. Five minutes later, Sasuke is waiting for her at the front door.

They walk down the village roads together. They aren't touching, although they walk closely together. She tries to ignore the whispers and stares. She clenches her fists when people yell rude things at Sasuke. She grits her teeth when she hears them call him a traitor.

Sasuke keeps his calm. He's not bothered by these people. He deserves it, he supposes. He just doesn't care. These people can think whatever they might.

"HEY UCHIHA! IS SHE A GOOD FUCK?"

In a swift movement, Sasuke has the guy by the collar and his fist is raised. His eyes are red and his jaw is tight. Sakura is immediately by his side, holding his fist down. She lightly starts pushing it back to his side.

"Sasuke-kun," she slowly murmurs, "let him go."

Sasuke lets the man go, but not without a fierce glare. The man stumbles away. They turn the other direction and continue to walk. The whispers intensify now and there is no more crude shouts.

"That's not going to make them forgive you, you know," she says. He clenches his fists. He doesn't want their forgiveness, he thinks.

"You killed a lot of people, Sasuke-kun," She knows he doesn't want to hear it. He never liked talking about his revenge, but she doesn't care. "You took some of their husbands, brothers and fathers away." She can see the way his fists clench at his sides again. "You're a good person," she says slowly. "Don't give them another reason to hate you,"

He does not say anything for the rest of the walk, and neither does she.

They arrive at the hospital. Sasuke is still being stared down by everyone. They are less affected though, after their walk through the village. This is how it will be for a while. There is nothing more they could do about it.

Naruto resides in a room in the far back of the hospital. When Sakura walks in with Sasuke, Naruto is beyond happy. He is overflowing with joy. He wants to jump and hug them both, but Sakura stops him.

"Take it easy," she says, easing him back onto the bed.

The blonde continues grinning. "How are you doing, you bastard?"

Sasuke sits down next to the bed. Sakura stands behind him with a hand on the back of his neck. "Fine," he replies. He's trying, but he's never been much of a talker. He wants to show Naruto his gratitude, but he's never been one to show emotion either.

Sakura smiles. "Well, I'll leave you two alone!" She walks towards the door before turning back. "I have some stuff to do with Tsunade-sama. I'll be back and then we can go home, okay, Sasuke-kun?"

He nods. She leaves the room, which leaves the two men. Naruto starts babbling on about his past missions; about some lame gossip. Sasuke sits and listens without interrupting him.

When Sakura comes back to find Sasuke and Naruto are getting along, she is happy. She likes how Naruto is now animately talking about ramen flavors.

"Are you ready to go?" she asks, standing at the doorway with her hands on her hips.

He gets up and nods. She waves to Naruto, "We'll come back! See you later, Naruto!"

Sasuke turns back and says, "Dobe," and Naruto grins and gives him a thumbs up.

* * *

**a/n:** woo, finally done. Wow I am so sick of this chapter LOOOL I cannot rewrite anything three times omg.


	4. ribbons

**puzzle pieces**

* * *

**title:** ribbons  
**author:** reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #7: apart  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needed saving. She was the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** continuing on! yay! this took me a lot longer than expected. since this is not exactly a traditional story, I really don't know what's going to happen next.

* * *

"You're back." She is waiting for him on the couch, a medical textbook in hand.

He looks at her and nods. He goes to her and sits down. They don't speak for a while. She simply plays with the frayed pages of her book and he stares blankly. He is in top shape; he never misses a chance to practice with Naruto and he always eats well thanks to her. She has done wonders for his body.

"Did you find a place?" She finally asks. Her heart is pounding. He is leaving her. She should not be hurt, she thinks, because it's not like they were going to live together anyway.

"No," He replies, looking away, "no one agreed to rent me a place."

Mentally, she sighs. He is not leaving her. Just for a little longer, he will continue to stay with her. She's scared because she knows that when he steps out, he may not come back. Although she has helped him through some tough times, Sasuke has never chosen to spend a lot of time in her company.

"Okay," she says cheerily, "you can always stay here, Sasuke-kun." She gives him a big smile. "And, the Uchiha compound will be open in no time. You'll have your home back."

"I have to go out," He declares, ignoring her comment. "I have a meeting with the Hokage."

A flash of worry overtakes Sakura for a moment. But she realizes that she trusts her sensei. She trusts Naruto. They would never let the elders do anything to Sasuke. No matter what the cost, they would never give up hope; just like her.

There is an extra room right next to hers. It is the guest room she uses when Naruto unexpectedly crashes over or whenever she has anyone come to stay. It is rarely used, so it was a bit dusty until she fixed it up for Sasuke a week ago. She looks into it. It is as clean as when she prepared it. The bed has been made; his night clothes are folded onto the bed. Sakura smiles—Sasuke has always been a neat person.

That night, she waits for him. It is late into the night and dinner is cold on the table. He is still not home. She continues to wait. She sits on the couch and plays with the pages of her romance novel. At midnight, while curled up on the couch, she falls asleep.

* * *

When she wakes up, there is sunlight streaming through her windows. She hears faint chirping noises. It is morning.

"Sasuke?" she calls. "Sasuke-kun? Are you home?"

She wants to laugh at how she refers to her house as home. Sasuke would never consider this his home. He has no home—not yet.

He's not here, she realizes. She is out the door in two minutes.

Sakura ends up at the Hokage tower, knocking on Tsunade's door. She hears Shizune give her permission to enter. The paperwork is in heaps on top of the Hokage's desk. There are papers strewn everywhere and Shizune is scrambling to pass her the next papers to fill out and stamp. When she enters, Tsunade does not even look up.

"What do you want?" Shizune continues to pass her papers as her hand comes down to place an angry red stamp on it.

Sakura gulps. This is the aftermath of war. "Where is Sasuke?" she asks carefully.

"In interrogation with Ibiki," the older woman promptly answers.

With a curt nod and a half-hearted bow, Sakura quietly exits the room. She had a lot of questions to ask, but she figured starting with locating Sasuke would be the smartest thing to do.

She decides to drop by the hospital to see Naruto. She peeks into his room. He's snoring loudly. She giggles.

"Naruto?" she calls, shaking him lightly. "_Naruto!_"

Naruto jolts awake. "Oh hey, Sakura-chan!" he grins at her. "What's going on?"

"Do you know what the elders decided on regarding Sasuke's punishment?"

The blonde's gaze lowers. "I don't know. But it's not like it's going to be light. He has a lot of debts to repay."

"He's in interrogation with Ibiki, apparently. He left yesterday afternoon, though…"

Naruto looks up. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan! He knows a lot of things we don't know, so they're probably gonna juice everything outta him."

She gives him a half-hearted smile. He grins at her.

* * *

After an hour with Naruto, Sakura leaves the hospital. She returns to an empty home. For four weeks, Sasuke has been with her. Every time she steps out the door, Sasuke is with her. When she returns, she is with Sasuke.

Now, she is alone. He is locked up somewhere in interrogation with a merciless Ibiki. She wonders for a while if he'll survive. Maybe she'll have to heal him again.

He never agreed to a life with her, she reminds herself. He is a damaged man. She'll never be able to heal all the cuts, stop all the bleeding and fill all the gaps. She knows she's wasting her time. But here she is, in an empty home, worrying about him.

Maybe—just this once—it's time for a date.

Sakura calls Ino. "Hey, pig, I was, uh, wondering…" she starts, not really knowing how to go about, "if you could set me up on a blind date."

She hears a high pitched squeal on the other end of the phone. "_Of course_ I have a guy for you! I got you, Forehead! Tonight, I'll text you the address, go to the table booked under my name."

"Ino, do you have a guy practically waiting for me?"

There is silence, then some nervous chattering, "No, no! I have some guys on speed dial—don't judge—and they're all willing to go on blind dates, kay?"

"So I get to go on dates with desperate guys?"

Ino strains a laugh. "They're all approved by me!"

"I don't know where you find the time to scout all these guys…"

"_Trust me_, Forehead!"

Sakura considers this date thing for a moment. Maybe Ino is not the right answer to find guys. Maybe Lee is the right answer. "They're not creeps though, right?"

"Do you know think I approve of creeps?" Sakura shrugs. "Anyway, why do you suddenly want a date?"

"I…" she pauses for a moment, "Sasuke's in interrogation with Ibiki. I just, like… I don't think I can wait all my life for him to come around. I've followed him around all these years. I want to get married, have kids, you know? Sasuke doesn't really scream family."

"I see," the other girl sighs. "I'll set you up with the love of your life," Sakura can practically hear the girl grinning, "but only if you name your firstborn after me!"

She laughs. "I'll think about it, Pig!"

* * *

**a/n:** whoa that date idea just hit me outta no where and it is TOTALLY the thing this story needs right now. alright ok, I hope you enjoy! school is starting soon but I'm really hoping to continue writing. god, but it's most important year this year so I don't know….


	5. wishing upon a star

**title:** wishing upon a star  
**author:** reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #5: together  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needs saving. She was the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** im supposed to be working on sensuality but geez I love this story. Maybe I'll finish it before going back to school? There'll be ten chapters, if you guys didn't know.

* * *

"I'll be fine from here," she gives the man a forced smile and turns away.

The man is scrambling, trying to find something to say to make her stay. "I'll call you!"

Sakura desperately hopes he does not. She quietly walks home alone. The dates Ino has put her on all turn out to be disasters; in her mind, at least. She thought she would find someone. She's not interested, she thinks. There is no one.

All the men she's seen this past week are all bland and boring. Most of them were shinobi but it's not like she's never been in war or a life threatening battle. None of them share her values. None of them made her really laugh. She sighs as she unlocks her door. Maybe she needs to meet more people, she thinks, because she's sure as hell that Ino has more men waiting for her.

Sakura turns on the lights, drops her keys in the basket beside the front door and opens the door to the living room. The lights are on. She looks around and there he is–sitting on the couch.

"Sasuke-kun?" she calls, and he turns his attention to her. "What are you doing here?"

Sasuke looks at her innocently. "You said I could stay here," he states.

Sakura is taken back. "But you were in interrogation with Ibiki! I thought…" she trails off. Maybe she was being ridiculous before. "I thought you weren't coming back."

"Why wouldn't I come back?" he raises an eyebrow at her.

She laughs and waves it off. "No reason!" She sets down her purse and goes to the kitchen to boil water.

"Where were you?"

Sakura is taken by surprise. She didn't expect Sasuke, of all people, to take interest in what she was doing. She doesn't want to tell him, but she was always honest. Before she knows it, words tumble out of her mouth.

"I was on a date."

There is a silence that follows. Sakura instantly regrets telling him. She could've told him she was buying groceries. She could've told him anything and it would've been _normal._Sasuke never shows interest in anyone's personal life.

"Aa," he finally acknowledges, "where is he then?"

She relaxes a little. He's not hostile, at least. "It didn't go well," she quietly mutters.

"What did he do?" Sasuke's voice is hard now.

It surprises her that he is quick to assume it was the man that had done something wrong. In reality, the problem is her. "He was okay," she starts. "I just didn't feel like seeing him again."

She enters the living room and she sees his shoulders relax. She hands him a cup of hot tea. His fingers touch hers lightly before retrieving again. She sits on the couch opposite of him.

"How was interrogation?" she hesitantly asks, sipping her tea. It is hot and she feels it travel down her throat and into her stomach.

"It was fine," he replies curtly.

"Are you all done with it?" she continues to pry, hoping he'll give her some kind of information on his punishment.

He takes a sip of his tea. "No," he states, "I have a meeting with the Hokage tomorrow."

She drops her hands into her lap, setting the cup between her legs. "I see," she looks down. She plays with the handle of her mug. "Can I come?"

He looks up at her, surprised at her request. He shouldn't have been, he thinks, because she was Sakura. She was protective of him.

"I guess,"

She gives him a bright smile. "Okay!" her voice instantly becomes perkier.

* * *

The next morning, she wakes up early to fix him breakfast. When he wakes up, the scent of delicious food overwhelms him. He quickly takes a shower and arrives at the breakfast table.

"Morning, Sasuke-kun!" she smiles, wiping her dirty hands on her apron. "Hungry?"

He nods to her. "Hungry," he repeats. He takes a seat across from her. He puts food on his plate and eats slowly. It takes him a while to eat, as Sasuke does not like to devour his food hastily like someone they knew. Sakura is perfectly happy to spend a long morning at the breakfast table with him. She chatters about her patients, about weird cases that she's encountered and about the environment in general. He listens and never ceases to stop eating.

She smiles. They wash the dishes together. He washes and she dries. She smiles again and pretends that this is how she spends everyday.

This is why the dates don't work out. She looks at Sasuke and she instantly imagines a life with him. She looks at her dates and imagines nothing more than a dinner. Maybe that's her problem, she thinks, _imagination._ She should be seeing Sasuke for who he is right now.

He's doomed. That's what he really is. There are so many problems. There will always be someone who'll be wishing for his demise; wishing for his unhappiness. Though she thinks that's a horrible way to live–through revenge–she knows that is how many people live. It's what got Sasuke to where he is now.

"Ready to go?" he asks, standing at the doorway. His hand is on the door knob.

She scrambles around her living room, gathering her pouch and keys and whatnot. She grins and stands in front of him, "Yeah, I'm ready."

They arrive at the Hokage tower right on time. Shizune escorts them in and stands next to Tsunade. The Hokage has her hands laced together in front of her face, with her elbows resting on the tabletop.

"Sakura, why are you here?" The Hokage's voice is hard and fierce.

The aforementioned girl does not shrink back. She stares back at the older woman with equal ferocity. "I'm just accompanying Sasuke,"

"Alright," Tsunade sighs. Team 7 has always been a handful. "Your punishment has no fully been decided yet, but it's for certain that you will not be a shinobi outside this village for at least a year."

Mentally, Sakura releases a deep breath. No missions isn't that bad. It could've been a lot worse. Sasuke stays quiet. His eyes are emotionless.

"You will continue being interrogated by Ibiki." the older woman continues, placing her palms flat on the table. "The elders and I are now discussing if you should ever be able to become a shinobi again for the Leaf."

Sasuke stays calm. He is always calm. "You're forcing me to be a civilian?"

Tsunade nods. "You're truly an asset to this village but," she stops and gives Sakura a look, "you could be very dangerous also, as you demonstrated."

"Even if I am a 'civilian', I still know ninjutsu," he scoffs. "I can still be dangerous, you know."

"Well," she leans back into her big chair, "at least you can't leave the village."

Sasuke looks away. "Is that all?"

"Yeah," she waves her hand, "you are dismissed."

* * *

**a/n:** wow they were supposed to kiss this chapter. you'll continue to wonder how I'm gonna pull that off while they are in character! I guess I'm gonna save it for later then.


	6. asphyxia

**title:** asphyxia  
**author:** reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #1: fear  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needs saving. She's the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** the downside to writing stories on my ipod is that I am usually groggy and therefore make a lot of mistakes. feel free to point any out! I start school next week so, I don't know what will happen but I hope I can finish this!

* * *

It terrifies him. This village terrifies him. It terrifies him that he may never be a shinobi again. It terrifies him the most that he's open to letting these people take it away from him. Maybe he'll like it, he thinks. But then it dawns on him that he has never been a civilian. He has never been normal.

He has always been a shinobi. He was built for killing, fighting, defending. He has never considered a life without violence. He would never be able to do it. He curses the Hokage, the elders; this village. It was never good to him.

Sasuke sits in Sakura's kitchen as she prepares him dinner. The meeting with the Hokage did not tell him much. They were considering taking his powers away. They were still thinking. There were no definite answers. They were no help to his situation.

"Sasuke-kun," she calls, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "How hungry are you?"

He snaps back to reality. Her eyes are inquisitive. He ignores them and grunts, "Hungry."

Sakura smiles. She's known him long enough to know that Sasuke does not use adjectives. The tones of his voice give away everything. A slightly harsher tone gives a slightly fiercer emotion. A soft tone gives a gentler emotion.

She passes him a bowl packed with rice. He smirks and takes it. She always knew exactly what he meant. She takes a seat across from him.

"So," she is hesitant, he realizes. "do you want to go clean out the Uchiha compound tomorrow?"

She is nervous as she gulps down a mouthful of rice and meat. Sasuke continues to eat nonchalantly. He nods, "Sure."

When she hears his response, he sees her shoulders roll back. He blinks and goes back to eating the food. She continues on with the conversation.

"Are you excited to live there again?" She's not perky. She sounds pained and her voice is strained. Sasuke wonders what is bothering her.

"Not really," he replies.

"Why is that?" she asks, taking a sip from the cup of tea in front of her.

He shrugs. The house carries bad memories, he thinks. He wouldn't know how to deal with all the feelings that came with the past. He wasn't looking forward to it. He had been running away from the truth for a long time. He's tired. He's blamed person after person, trying to find the truth. The house is where everything started for him. He is not excited to return.

They continue to eat in silence. They clean up the dishes after they're done and wash them together. He washes and she dries, just as they had done that same morning. He hands her the plate. She wipes it dry and places it carefully on the dish rack.

"Thank you," he says suddenly. She turns to him, surprised.

Sasuke hands her the mug. Her fingers reach for it and finally, clasp over the handle. "What for?" she finally returns with a shaky voice.

Those words of gratitude were never good to her. They haunt her. For four years, ever since he left, she has dreaded hearing them. They remind her of the time she failed to make him stay. She wasn't enough for him then. Those words reminded her of that.

When he told her the same words a few weeks ago, she felt like she was finally enough. She took care of his wounds, she healed him, she cooked for him; they were all things that were necessary. She felt needed in his life then.

Now that he is better, he has no reason to say them again. She doesn't know what he means. She's scared, because the words from him always mean something big.

"Everything," he replies.

Sakura wants to scream because he is so vague. She has done simple things for him. She would have done them even if he had not been present. She warily looks away.

"You're welcome," she tells him, "It's my pleasure."

* * *

As promised, Sakura takes him to clean out the Uchiha Compound tomorrow. Sasuke doesn't really want to tell her he doesn't plan to live there. She seems so eager, he thinks, to clean out a house for him. Maybe she doesn't want him to stay with her anymore. They arrive at the house.

The sliding door jams midway but Sakura pushes a little harder to slide it completely open. There are spider webs, layers of dust and insects crawling around. Sasuke grimaces.

"Whoa," she breathes. "This is going to take more than one day."

Sasuke snorts. "Obviously," he mutters. She ignores him.

"Where do you want to start?" she says, putting down the cleaning supplies.

"Here," he shrugs.

She nods okay before going over to the windows and opening them. Sunlight streams through and brightens the room. She grins and puts her hands on her hips, taking in the view.

"No problem," she declares to herself.

The village has cleaned out all the furniture. There is but a shell of a house here. It makes it easier to clean. Sasuke's small amount of belongings is either with him or to be retrieved at the bank whenever he wishes.

Sakura moves easily around the house. They clean in quiet. She sweeps away the dust and the spider webs. She wipes down the dirty floor and walls.

"EW!" Sakura screeches and backs away from the corner in horror.

Sasuke turns. "What?"

"That _cockroach!_" She points to the black spot. "It's huge!"

"Kill it," he blinks at her.

"It's so _big,_ though!" She continues backing away. She finally stops behind him.

He raises an eyebrow at her. She is staring at him expectantly. He finally sighs and with the toe area of his shoe, squishes it. It dies with a loud crunch. Sakura squeals and goes over to him.

"Happy?" he deadpans, glaring at her.

She nods her head enthusiastically. "Yeah! Thanks, Sasuke-kun!"

He sweeps it away to his own dust pan before going back to his own spot. For the rest of the afternoon, they sweep in silence. At the end of the day, they have cleaned the living room, kitchen and the bathroom. Tomorrow, they decide to clean out all the bedrooms and storage rooms.

When they head out, Sasuke pauses in front of a building. Sakura turns to him quizzically. "Sasuke-kun?" she looks up and the lettering on the building signifies it's a cemetery for Uchiha.

Without a second thought, Sakura heads for the door. She turns to Sasuke when he doesn't follow. Sasuke gives her a blank look. He doesn't move. He hasn't seen his parents in a while. He hasn't even been in this village for a long time. He never thought he'd see them again.

Sakura rolls her eyes and walks to him. "Sasuke-kun, come on," she takes his hand and drags him inside.

He holds his breath as they go through the door. Inside, there are tons of cubbies that hold the families' ashes. When she grips his hand and he takes in the whole room, he exhales.

Sakura unconsciously holds her breath as well. She didn't know if it was okay to drag him inside. She didn't know if what she did is that right thing. She didn't know if he was ready.

He seems stunned, she thinks. He's deep in thought. She gently strings him along. She finds his parents' ashes. She turns to him, but he's still looking into space. He looks confused and scared. Her heart clenches.

"Sasuke-kun?" she calls softly. "Here they are,"

It is silent for another five minutes. Sasuke suddenly speaks, "Mom, Dad." he chokes out.

Sakura wants to cry. She patiently waits for him to continue talking. His mouth is parted, she realizes, but there is no sound that comes out. Her chest continues to constrict.

"A long time has passed," he murmurs. Sakura's hand tightens around his.

"I-I'm a shinobi now. Dad, I can do the fireball jutsu now." Sasuke's voice cracks. "I've come a long way."

They stand there for a long time. Sasuke stares at his parents' ashes for the rest of the time. He doesn't say anything else. Sakura suspects he has thoughts racing through his head. Sometimes, Sasuke gulps. Other times, his fingers press against the back of her hand. Eventually, he tugs her outside and together, they head home.

* * *

**a/n:** SSOOO, yeah. I hope the Sasuke talking to his parents wasn't too OOC. I was trying to do a reminiscent of his feelings on Itachi. So, yeah. And hand holding! I'm easing into it. Anyways, thanks for reviewing and such!


	7. flying pigs

**title:** flying pigs  
**author:** reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #2: addiction  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needs saving. She's the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** ok, prepare yourself for a great chapter imo! LOOL I wrote this at Tim Horton's while waiting for my friend to get off work and I think it's good! Two more chapters! But I still have yet to figure out an extravagant ending for these two.

* * *

He walks through the door solemnly. Sakura is curled up on the couch, nursing a hot cup of mint tea and a good book. Wordlessly, Sasuke sits down next to her. She turns to him expectantly. He has never been good at admitting defeat, he thinks. He always wins. He is a winner. Sakura nudges him with her foot and scowls at him.

"So?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "What happened with Tsunade-sama?"

It has been two weeks since his last visit to the Hokage. He was requested today, two hours earlier. It has been nearly six months since the war ended. He has been staying in the same home as Sakura for almost half a year now. He winces when he feels a sharp pain. He turns to glare at her.

"You didn't have to kick me," he growls.

"Obviously, I did," she snorts, rolling her eyes. "Tell me!"

He sighs. "I have to wait three years before I'm allowed taking the Chuunin exams."

"That's not so bad," she says automatically. She was expecting something along the lines of never becoming a shinobi again.

"It means I'll be doing D-rank missions for a long time,"

Sakura bursts out laughing. "That doesn't suit you! You won't be Jounin until you're thirty!"

He sends her a withering glare. "Shut up,"

"You are aiming for ANBU though, aren't you?" he voice softens. Realization dawns on her.

ANBU is a serious job. Not everyone is suited for it. They are sent out on dangerous top-secret missions. They lead a solitary life because most of it is spent outside the village. Most are killed before they turn thirty. Sakura's expression darkens. ANBU represents being the ultimate shinobi.

"Yes," he replies.

She closes her book and sighs. "Are you hungry?"

He nods. She gets up and heads to the kitchen. Sasuke watches her, confused by her sudden change of mood. Becoming ANBU, he thinks, is what he's meant to become. He has no desire to live a long life. Being a shinobi is his whole life.

"What's your problem?" he follows her into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe.

"I don't have a problem," she swiftly replies.

"What's wrong with ANBU?" he counters, crossing his arms over his chest. "Isn't Naruto aiming to become ANBU too?"

"He's aiming to be _Hokage,_" she snaps.

Sakura has just gotten him back. She doesn't want to think that in a few years, he'll be gone again. He'll be constantly on long missions that are most likely to end in death. One day, he won't come back. She has confidence in his abilities, but even the best get killed. She sighs, thinking about just how true that statement was.

"Isn't that similar?" he raises an eyebrow at her. "Devoting your life to the village?"

Her eyes widen. "That's what you want to do? Devote yourself to the village?"

He shrugs. "That's what ANBU is."

Sakura stares. He is the most confusing being on this planet, she thinks. He wants to devote himself to a village that fucked him over. Nothing good has ever come out of this village for him. It basically ruined his life. But there he is, wanting to give it everything he has. He didn't seem to be the forgiving type.

"Don't you…" her throat tightens, "…want something more in life?"

"Not in particular." He remains impassive.

"I…" she stops stirring the noodles.

"Say it," he urges.

"I don't want to lose you again," she blurts out. She is quiet and her eyes start to sting.

He is taken back by her confession, though he knows he shouldn't be. She has always been _that girl _in his life. She was always too emotional for him. His mouth forms a hard line. She shouldn't have been saying these things. She should just… support him, he thinks. She should have just let him be because she should've realized there was nothing else suited for him. He furrows his eyebrows. He hasn't considered anyone else's feelings in a long time.

"I'm here," he says, his voice void of emotion. It is a fact; a statement.

"I know," she mutters. She goes to him, until she is looking right up at him. "But are you here for long?"

He is once again surprised. He doesn't plan to die on the job any time soon. He thought she would know that. Sasuke was good at many things and being a shinobi is at the top of that list. She should also know that.

"Yes," he resolves to say.

In that moment, she forgets that he is _Sasuke_ and that he is broken. Before he could stop her, she presses her lips to his. She steadies herself by holding his arms, because this was _Sasuke_.

The kiss didn't last long. To Sasuke, it felt like eternity. This feeling–of her so close to him–was completely foreign and unexpected. Never in his life had he thought that he would he in a situation like this. He stays frozen. He is glad that his arms are crossed over his chest because it keeps her at a certain distance.

For Sakura, this is confusing. She wants him so badly it hurts. She has wanted him since she was a little girl. She needs him constantly near her. With this kiss, she feels as if her needs have finally been satisfied. Her mind shuts down and her eyes are closed. There was only the feel of his lips against hers.

The kiss itself is short. It is simply Sakura pressing her lips against his. He does not move. He stares her throughout the kiss. She is too close, he thinks. He feels immobilized. She finally pulls away, much to his relief and comfort.

"Don't leave," she breathes, still grasping his arms.

He doesn't know what to say. Her emerald orbs are dilated and he can feel her breath fanning against his face. She is staring up at him intently. She is _too damn close,_ he thinks.

"I won't," he finally replies.

* * *

**a/n:** DONE! This is exactly how I envision an IC kiss would be. It would be Sakura initiating it and Sasuke would just _accept_. Thanks for the reviews and support! I'm just so happy when people love this story!


	8. paper planes

**title:** paper planes  
**author:** reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #3: regret  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needs saving. She's the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** THANKS TO MY SISTER FOR BRAINSTORMING WITH ME! Even though she doesn't like Naruto and does not write fanfiction, she helped me determine what's going to happen in the next three chapters! THANKS!

* * *

It's not that they didn't try, because they did. They continued to live together. She cooked him meals while he was out sparring with Naruto. They ate together in silence. They watched television. She read books while he took naps. They continued to spend plenty of time togethers.

But it is different. They talked less. The jokes were strained and overdone. There was tension. They avoided touching each other. Sasuke went back to being cold. Sakura no longer took liberties with him. She simply kept a safe but friendly distance.

When Sakura woke up one morning, Sasuke was not in his guest room bed. She was not suprised, though she had been stunned for a moment or two. It was like a _finally_moment. She calls his name once anyway. She groggily walks around the apartment to check if he is indeed gone.

She runs a hand through her knotted hair. When she arrives at the kitchen, it is pristine; just as it was last night. However, there is a piece of paper that blends in with her other taping that did not belong there.

_I'm at the Uchiha Compound.__  
__- Sasuke_

She smiles. The note was unlike Sasuke, but he did so anyway. He had been out with Naruto last night. She didn't bother waiting for him because she had gotten a particularly tiring shift at the hospital. She went straight to bed and had fallen asleep when she hit the pillow.

She walks away from the note and heads straight to the coffee maker. Over her years as a medic nin, she has gotten herself slightly addicted to coffee. As she waits for her coffee to be done, she decides that she needs some company. There is all this pent up frustration concerning the Uchiha that she could not release while he stayed with her. With him gone, she decides she needs to see Ino.

"Pig, hey, " she greets nonchalantly, "How are you?"

"Sakura? Why are you calling so early?" Ino asks, surprised, "I'm fine, but how are you? Is Sasuke still there?"

"Uh, he actually, um, just left."

"What do you mean?"

"Want to have lunch with Tenten and Hinata?"

"Sure. Are you okay? What did Sasuke do?" Ino sighs into the phone. "I knew it wasn't good news when Sasuke went to live with you. Shall I call the girls?"

"I'm fine, Ino, really. Meet at my house in an hour?"

"Alright, see ya, forehead!"

Sakura hangs up and sighs. This is all her fault, she thinks. If she hadn't kissed Sasuke, then they would still be living together. They were finally comfortable with each other. He was opening up to her. She completely ruined it with the kiss two weeks prior. Sasuke has always been conservative. She _knew_ he didn't like human contact. She _knew_.

An hour later, she is ready. Her hair is ready. Her hair is in loose waves and her face is radiant. She is dressed in a casual outfit consisting of a red vest and a navy skirt. She pulls on her knee high sandals, jumping a bit when a loud knock resounds through the apartment. She skips over to the door to answer it.

"Sakura!" Tenten yells, enveloping her in a hug. "Ready to go?"

Sakura grins at her friends. "You bet."

* * *

Sasuke rolls over in his bed, groaning. He arrives at his house at three in the morning. He quickly crashes onto his bed, falling soundly asleep. It is now morning. His serene slumber is disturbed by a loud banging on the door. He hopes by putting a pillow over his head, he can drown out the noise.

Five minutes later, the incessant knocking is still there. He growls, and gets up from the bed. On the way to the door, he pulls on some sweatpants. He flings open the door, glaring fiercely at whoever disturbed him.

"Hey, Teme!" his best friend flashes him a grin.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun," he looks over to see Sai next to the blonde.

"What do you want?" Sasuke's glare softens slightly.

It would be a lie if he said he didn't think it would be Sakura standing out there when he opened the door. He expected her to come to find him as soon as she woke up and found him gone. A pang of disappointment hit him, but he pushed it away.

"Let's go eat ramen, teme!"

"Naruto," he glares. "How did you even know I was here?"

Naruto pushes him on his shoulder lightly. "I called Sakura-chan of course! She said you moved out or something…"

Sasuke wants to roll his eyes. Nonetheless, he grunts, "Wait here."

He closes the door and goes to change. So Sakura knows he's here. She's aware and she even informed others about his whereabouts. This is good, he thinks, this is why he left in the first place. He left to get away from her and she's not coming after him. This is _exactly_what he wants.

When he comes back, Sai and Naruto are bickering noisily on his front steps. He sighs and locks the door before setting foot outside with them. He starts walking.

"Hey, hey!" Naruto calls. "Wait for us!"

* * *

Sakura laughs, throwing her head back and letting the sound rip from her throat. Tenten continues to tell her story, while Ino makes absurd comments. Hinata politely laughs next to her, looking around nervously. Maybe they were making too much noise for a breakfast joint?

"I had to put my foot down! I'm like, _Neji, shut the fuck up._"

"Hey, Saks, so what happened with Sasuke?" Ino questions, resting her head on top of her interlaced hands.

Sakura takes a deep breath. "We kissed."

Ino and Tenten grabs each other and squeals at the top of their lungs. They stop when they notice Sakura is not laughing and squealing with them. Ino recomposes herself and coughs.

"So what went wrong? Why didn't you guys release all that sexual tension from living together?" When Sakura glares at her, she put her hands up in defense. "Well it's true!"

"All that progress we made just…" Sakura slumps, "….disappeared."

They all stare at each other for a bit. Tenten speaks up, "So after you guys kissed,_absolutely nothing_ happened?"

Sakura nods slowly. "Yeah, basically."

"Man, this would only happen to Sasuke. I'm telling you he's the only guy who would kiss the girl he loves and not admit it." Ino sighs.

"How much do you want him?" Tenten asks, taking a sip of her orange juice.

Sakura is silent for a while. "I don't know, a lot? Guys, I've wanted him since I was twelve."

Tenten, Ino and Hinata all exchange looks. "He's not going to come around. You're going to have to suck it up and go after him."

Ino nods to Hinata. "You think it was easy for Hinata to get Naruto? _She_ asked _him_ out."

"But I already kissed him! Doesn't that count for something? I made the first move," she crosses her arms over her chest.

"I know you like being stubborn," Tenten starts, "but Sasuke's also stubborn. It's the waiting game!"

"I bet you're gonna cave first," Ino grins.

Sakura glares. "If I can five years, I can wait another…"

"_Exactly!_ You don't know how long he's gonna be stubborn! Saks, next thing you know you'll be fifty years old. _Then_ what are you gonna do?"

Sakura's mouth sets into a straight line. "This fucking blows."

* * *

Sasuke rakes his hand through his hair, mentally groaning. He should have never gone out with these two idiots. He could normally handle one idiot fine but two of them? It was like a never ending tape of stupidity. The two were currently bickering noisily again. He contemplates turning around and leaving.

They arrive at Ichiraku. Sasuke and Sai slowly eat their noodles while Naruto slurps them loudly. He tells them about his latest mission. Naruto's spit flies out of his mouth and Sasuke cringes. Sai seemingly doesn't care, keeping a smile plastered on his face.

"Yo, Sasuke, I thought you were living with Sakura-chan!"

"We cleaned up the Uchiha compound. There's no need to stay there anymore." Sasuke gulps down the last of his soup.

"Another bowl please!" Naruto yells with his mouth full. He turns to Sasuke, "Yeah, but you could've cleaned up the Uchiha Compound like two weeks ago!"

They did, he thinks. He just never mentioned to Sakura that he should move out. He didn't want to tell Sakura he was going to leave. She would have made a scene. Or worse, she would have given him _that look_ and then he would have to leave.

"She had to work," he says simply.

Sai blinks at him, "Why didn't you go by yourself, Sasuke-kun?"

"It's more efficient to clean up with two people," Sasuke nonchalantly sips his tea.

"Teme!" Naruto whines. "You know what we're trying to say! What did you do to Sakura-chan?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Just tell us what happened!"

"Nothing happened."

"Come on, come on!" Naruto screams with his mouth full of noodles. "I'm dying here!"

Sasuke grimaces. "Dobe, close your mouth."

"_Ahhhhh!" _Naruto puts his open mouth near Sasuke's face. "I'm going to spit on you if you don't tell us!"

The Uchiha growls and shoves Naruto backwards. "We kissed."

Naruto spits out his noodles anyway.

Sasuke turns away, taking a long sip of his tea. He could feel the tips of his ears getting hot. He could feel Naruto gawking at him. He could also feel Sai's fascinated stare burning a hole into his side.

"Did _you _kiss _her_?" Naruto exclaims, bewildered.

Sasuke glares at them both. "No," he grits out. "I'm not having this conversation with you two morons."

"Okay," Naruto replies much to Sasuke's surprise. "But since she kissed you first, you better do something really fucking amazing to tell her you didn't regret kissing her back. Or else she's going to hate you for the rest of her life."

* * *

**a/n:** asfhjskl, im done this chapter. I don't know why it's so long even though it's so unsubstantial in situations… But anyway, I'm so close to finishing! But school is tiring. I am also practicing dancing now so… ugh, k. My whole body hurts. Anyway, if you want more updates go to my tumblr made especially for FFs? reviee tumblr


	9. lighting the way

**title**: lighting the way  
**author**: reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #8: coward  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needs saving. She's the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** one more chapter left! yaaa, so I will probably be editing last chapter since it is full of mistakes. sorry! but only after the story is done.

* * *

They were completely right, she decides. Waiting for Sasuke was a game she no longer wanted to play. She's been playing for her whole life. Was it worth waiting? Sakura sighs and rakes a hand through her pink tresses. She's standing in the bathroom mirror, checking her appearance.

"To give up..." She starts, "...or to try again?"

Sakura smiles at herself. She has always known the answer because when it came to Sasuke, giving up is never the answer. They've put in so much effort for him. She decides that she will not be giving up but rather taking a break. She will continue to be there for him, but she will not further pursue a romantic relationship with him. Not being in Sasuke's life was not an option.

This is the right decision, she decides. She will go see him tomorrow and they will be friends. Perhaps that's what they were meant to be.

When the doorbell rings, it shakes her. She laughs half-heartedly at herself for being so immersed in her thoughts before going to open the door. The sight that greets her surprises her. Standing in front of her front door are Naruto and Sasuke.

"Hey guys!" She smiles because that is what she would do if she wasn't thinking about how Sasuke's lips felt against hers. "What's up?" She cringes. She may or may not sound slightly too perky.

"Hey Sakura-chan!" Naruto grins, "What do you say to having a bowl of ramen with me and the bastard?"

_Damn right he's a bastard,_ she thinks and then she stops herself from further negative thoughts. She thinks about what she would do if she wasn't in this awkward debacle. She could go to the hospital early; they do always need help. _No,_ she smiles at her to boys. She wouldn't turn down a chance to eat a bowl of ramen with them.

"Yeah, sure! Just give me a sec," she turns back into her apartment to grab her keys and boots. When she returns, they are patiently waiting for her.

"Hey, are you working today?" Naruto asks innocently, walking down the streets with his hands behind his head.

"Duh," she replies, laughing. "Being a medic is my life!"

"We'll walk you!" He suggests, grinning at her.

"Thanks," she gives him a grin of her own, "I'd like that."

They arrive at the ramen stand and the conversation continues. Sasuke occasionally makes comments about Naruto's idiocy and they begin to bicker. For the most part though, neither Sasuke nor Sakura makes direct reference to each other. Naruto ignores the underlying awkward feelings.

After finishing three large bowls of ramen, Naruto dashes off with a suspicious excuse. Sasuke knows that Naruto is trying to pull something off. He knows he shouldn't have told the blonde about their kiss. He mentally groans because he should have known that Naruto was the nosiest person around.

"Well," she gets up from her seat, "I'm off to work!"

Sasuke is snapped out of his thoughts. He looks at the money left on the table and puts down his own change. By the time he looks up again, she is gone.

"Sakura," he calls to her and it isn't loud, but she turns around anyway. Her hair swishes around her and her big green orbs sparkle when they locate him.

"Yeah?"

"I'll walk you," he says, taking long strides and catching up with her.

Sakura contemplates saying no. This could easily be interpreted as something else. _Too late,_ she groans inside her head. _This will forever be embedded in my brain._ She gives him a smile, nods and starts walking.

"I'm performing a surgery today," she starts, because this is what friends tell each other. She sighs and clasps her hands together in front of her, "It's going to take hours!"

"Aa," he acknowledges her and there is a moment of pause before he continues, "Won't you be tired?"

She is stunned for moment. It has always been a one-sided conversation between them. She decides she shouldn't read into it. That's the key to getting over this. She reminds herself one last time to not over analyze anything before she lets out a polite chuckle.

"Of course not!" She exclaims, "What do you think I train for? Long hours like these are nothing! Medic nins are supposed to last hours out on the battlefield. Who will keep our soldiers alive in times of war if we're all tired?"

"That's..." He pauses and she unconsciously holds her breath, "...impressive."

Sakura's eyes widen by a fraction. Her heart starts racing and she is _not reading into it._ She lets out a breath in attempt to calm her heart rate and starts focusing her eyes on their moving feet. Her hands are still clasped in front of her and she can feel her palms sweating.

"Thank you," she says softly, "it's hard work."

"Aa,"

When Sakura finishes her shift at eleven that night, she is once again surprised by Naruto and Sasuke standing in the lobby. She is suspicious and slightly freaked out by her teammates' caring behaviour but she does not question it. She simply lets them trail behind her while she rambles on about a day's work. Naruto starts yelling about how proud he is and Sasuke grunts.

Her mind goes back to his compliment and she involuntarily blushes. She continues to tell Naruto to tone it down because most of the village is sleeping. Sasuke makes a biting remark and Naruto continues to yell. Sakura smiles because these are her teammates she holds dearly.

In the middle of the journey, Naruto exclaims a nebulous excuse and then runs off. Sasuke is left with her and she knows that the awkward feelings are building up again. The crickets are in the background and it painfully reminds her of that night. They've come a long way since that night, she decides, but the memories come and haunt her once in a while anyway.

"You can go home too, you know," she mentions casually whilst admiring the starry sky.

"It's fine," he replies gruffly, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Their footsteps echoed hauntingly around them. "I've been walking home alone for a while," she tells him proudly, "I'm not scared."

"Aa,"

They continue to walk in silence. When she reaches her apartment, it is awkward beyond words. This is where he used to live before the incident. They became close here; they kissed here. She does not invite him in for a cup of tea. Sasuke nods at her and she nods back and whispers a soft, 'good night' before shutting the door behind her.

She climbs into bed that night full of thoughts concerning Sasuke. When did she ever go to bed without thinking of him? It's ridiculous, she thinks. She sprays lavender perfume on her wrists and rubs some in back of her ears. It calms her down and she goes to sleep without dreaming that night.

* * *

It continues to happen over the next few weeks. It's ridiculous and obvious what Naruto is trying to do. Sakura wants to cry because really—why is it so hard to get over one man? Why does the world want her to love this man so goddamn much? He makes no move to mention anything remotely romantic and she does the same. They are exactly what she wants them to be: friends. Except that she is dying inside. She is almost glad she has kept such a facade on for so long, especially concerning him. She's a pro now and her mask is almost impenetrable.

Imagine her confusion when he waltzes into her office with a red face and shallow breaths.

"Sasuke?" She puts down her pen, "What are you doing here?"

He steps near her and she gets up. Perhaps he is injured, she thinks. They are standing in front of each other now and she has her hands on his forearms. A worried look is on her face and her eyes dart up and down to check for external injuries.

"Do it again," he says suddenly and she has no idea what he's talking about.

Her lips part, "Do what again?"

He is looking at her lips. His heart is beating and all he could think about was how this girl affected him. She saved him when nobody else would. She housed him when he had no place to go. She pushed him when he needed to be. He owes her his heart at the very least, he decides.

"Kiss me again," he demands breathlessly.

* * *

**a/n:** IT'S ALMOST DONE! Sorry it took two months to get this out when I'm updating Sensuality so regularly... but I'm back! The last chapter will be up soon hopefully and I'm hoping to go out with a bang! I'm really gonna wrap it up and I'm crossing my fingers that it'll be before January! So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and tell me what you think!


	10. a glow in the dark

**title**: a glow in the dark  
**author:** reviee  
**rating:** T  
**prompt:** #10: finally  
**summary:** SasuSaku. Canon. He needs saving. She's the only one who would save him.  
**a/n:** THE END IS HERE! This has been a great experience with you guys! I like writing canon stories! Thank you for the constructive criticism and support! Thank you soo much!

* * *

"What?"

Sakura looks at Sasuke. He seems normal and he doesn't look hopped up on anything. She is completely confused because this is the same man who moved out of her house because of the kiss. The sudden change in character raises alarms in her. She stands stunned and silent for the next few moments while he calms down his breathing.

"You heard me," he growls, "Kiss me like you did last time."

"But..." She remembers the hurt she felt when she read his goodbye letter, "Sasuke-kun, why?"

Sasuke takes a step closer. Unconsciously, she backs up. She feels caged in by his presence. Her heart is pounding at high speed and she can feel the blood rushing to her head. From the corner of her eye, she can see his right hand twitch, as if he's keeping himself from grabbing her.

"Look, Sasuke," she breathes heavily, "that kiss was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it."

"The hell it was!" He growls, stepping closer so that her back hit the edge of her desk.

"You ignored me for months!" She screams suddenly, and then turns away. "I have work to do. I'll see you around."

Before she could leave, he grabs her wrist and spins her around before planting his lips firmly on hers. His grip is tight on her wrist though she is not fighting back. Her scent overwhelms him and a feeling of familiarity washes over him.

For Sakura, it is a wave of confusion that envelops her. She made up her mind when he left that being his friend was what she was meant to be. Nonetheless, she does not push him away. She doesn't kiss back either, but her hand rests on his bicep.

"Tell me that was a mistake," he challenges after he pulls away.

She can feel the tears building, "I made up my mind," she says quietly, "so please leave."

Sasuke is left stupefied. He leaves the hospital without another word. Sakura continues to be confused over the matter because this was _not_ how it was supposed to go.

* * *

Sakura avoids him. She knows she can't handle another stunt like that. She knows that if he kisses her again, she wouldn't be able to resist kissing him back and more. He is the one she's always wanted and he's finally here. It's the wrong time, she thinks, he's too late. He's screwed up.

People deserve second chances. This is Sasuke's third. He's left her before after she professed her love for him. He left her again after she showed him her love. If she succumbs to his demands, who can say he won't leave her again? Being abandoned, she thinks, is her greatest fear.

"Sakura-chan!"

She turns around to see her blonde haired friend waving to her. She grins back and goes to him. They are at the supermarket and Hinata is standing next to him.

"Naruto!" She exclaims. "What are you doing here?"

"Doing some grocery shopping for Sasuke," he informs casually, "Hinata's helping me!"

"Sasuke?" Sakura raises an eyebrow. "Why are you grocery shopping for Sasuke?"

"He won't come out of his house," Naruto blinks. "All he does is train in his backyard."

"Why not?"

He shrugs. "Bastard won't tell me but I worry, ya know! That's why I'm doing this,"

Sakura looks down at the basket of tomatoes. When she looks back up, there is a sparkle in her eyes, "I'll bring it to him."

"Aw, Sakura-chan! I'm sure the bastard will be really happy to see you!"

"Go spend the day with Hinata," she smiles while taking the basket from him.

After adding ingredients to make a dinner for two into her basket, she goes to the cash to pay for her groceries and Sasuke's tomatoes. She has made her choice.

* * *

"Sakura,"

"Hi, Sasuke!" She chirps happily. "How are you today? I brought your groceries!" She holds up the bags she has brought.

Hesitantly, he steps aside for her to enter the house and he goes to take the bags from her hands. Their fingers brush but Sakura decides to ignore it and continue chirping. Sasuke, on the other hand, can feel his heart pounding. He trails after her as she enters the kitchen.

"So, I brought ingredients to make you dinner and Naruto said you refused to leave the house so _that's_kind of unreasonable and oh! I brought you tomatoes obviously! Um..." She puts her hands on her hips as he stares at her blankly.

"Sakura,"

She looks up. "Yeah?"

"Why are you here?" He sighs.

She fidgets with her fingers. "Why won't you leave your house?"

He shrugs.

"I..." She stops and clasps her hands behind her back sheepishly. "Why won't you leave your house?"

He shrugs again.

"Is it..." She turns away from him, seemingly to unpack the groceries, "...because of me?"

"No," he answers swiftly.

"Sasuke," she sighs and places the bag of tomatoes on the counter. "I think we should talk."

"About?"

"Us," she leans against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest, "we need to talk about us."

"I thought you made up your mind," he folds his arms across his chest and mimics her movement.

"I..." She looks down and wiggles her toes. "I thought about it."

"And?"

"Why are you suddenly like this?" She asks. "You've never reciprocated my feelings."

There is a moment of silence. Sasuke doesn't know what to say. There is no reason he is suddenly craving her kisses or missing her presence. It just happened.

"What do you want me to tell you, Sakura?" He makes eye contact. "What are you looking for?"

She sighs. "I don't know... It's just... After so long... I've loved you for so long, Sasuke."

"I know. Isn't it about time I return your feelings?"

"That doesn't just happen though!" She exclaims. "Love takes time. I don't want you to love me because its convenient. I want you to... completely fall in love with me,"

"And you don't believe that I did?"

"It doesn't seem possible,"

"It doesn't seem possible you continued to love me throughout all these years either."

She is taken back by his point. "Do you really love me?"

"Why would I lie?" Sasuke sighs and goes to her, hesitantly placing his hands on either side of her. "Believe me..."

Sakura feels him getting closet. She feels his hot breath getting closer and she feels his grip on her arms tighten. Slowly, she closes her eyes and lets him place his lips atop hers. She feels her heart flutter.

Finally, she thinks, she lets him love her like she has loved him all these years. It feels heavenly to have her feelings returned. Her arms wrap around his waist to pull him closer.

* * *

**a/n:** This story started out as a side project from all my AU anthologies... Thank you for being here with me! I can't believe it's over; I never finish anything hahaha...


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